Stormy Skies
by MischiefManaged19
Summary: Albus Severus Potter has a crush...and it's just the beginning. (I'm awful at summaries.) My first fanfic, so if it sucks I won't take it personally. Rated T for future kissing and mention of bodies.
1. On The Train

**Disclaimer: I don't own characters like Rose Weasley, Albus Potter, Minerva McGonagall and Hagrid, which all belong to J.K. Rowling. However, characters like Azaelia and Hazel Bramble are OCs.**

Albus Severus Potter waved to his father as the Hogwarts Train picked up speed, going faster and faster until Platform 9 ¾ was just a tiny speck in the distance. He turned back around, shifting a bit in the scratchy velvet seat.

"I can't believe it! We're finally going to Hogwarts!" exclaimed his eager cousin Rose as she shook her bushy red mane out of her eyes.

"Yes, I know. I'm excited too," Albus replied, not really listening. Eleven-year-old Albus and Rose and were starting their first year at Hogwarts, and for the past several weeks, Rose had talked of nothing else.

Albus, wanting to stretch his legs, quietly got up and pushed the compartment doors open. He walked up and down the train, heading back toward the compartment once he saw the trolley lady ambling down the corridor.

Albus grabbed the side of a rail attached to a compartment door as the train took a sharp curve, and in the compartment was a very pretty girl wearing a striped purple sweater and a jean skirt. Her wispy, cinnamon-colored hair fell halfway down her waist, and in her lap was…was that a dragon? Yes, it was a dragon the color of a cloudy sky and the size of a housecat, snoozing in the girl's lap and occasionally sneezing out blue sparks.

Her head turned, and she grinned at Albus, who blushed and sped down the corridor. Rose greeted him with a smile.

"You should hurry up and change," she said, gesturing to his Muggle sweater and jeans. "We'll be there in a half hour!"

"Oh…er, right," Albus mumbled, still mesmerized by the pretty girl. "I-I'll do that."

Rose gave him a strange look. Albus never acted strange. Was there something up with her cousin?

* * *

><p>Azaelia Bramble stood up just as the Hogwarts train pulled into the station, her black robes falling down to her feet.<p>

"Come on, Storm," she whispered, gently nudging the small dragon sleeping on the seat next to hers. Storm opened one eye and yawned, her wings rising up into the air.

"Firs' years…firs' years," a voice called as she stepped off the train with Storm on her shoulder. Turning, she saw a very big and tall man with a tangly beard like a bird's nest waving his hand. He was calling over the soon-to-be first years. He smiled at Azaelia once he saw her.

"All righ', Azaelia? Don' look so surprised!" the giant said, noticing the bemused expression on the girl's face. "Yer dad's Nate Bramble, isn't he? Knew him as a kid."

Azaelia's father Nate rescued and cared for orphaned dragons; this was how she obtained Storm, a Swedish Short-Snout that had been found and was hexed with a Permanent Reducing Charm, meaning that she would stay small forever. This burly man certainly looked as though he would eat dragons for breakfast, so she was not all that surprised. "Yes," she replied.

"M'name's Hagrid," he told her. "Helped me wit' a dragon or two a while back. Anyhow, we gotta get to Hogwarts!" Azaelia nodded and turned around to find the boy from the train staring at her. He looked away just as Hagrid cried, "No more'n four to a boat! Get on, an' let's go!"


	2. The Sorting

The noise of the Great Hall was nearly deafening, but as the first years walked in, everything went silent. Headmaster McGonagall unfurled the scroll of names and started reading.

"Allen, Chelsea!"

A blonde girl skipped up to the stool and placed the dirty, patched hat on her head. A moment later, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

The table to the right of the stool erupted in cheers as Chelsea made her way over.

"Ashton, Derek!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Belmont, Priscilla!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Albus knew he had a bit of a way to go before his name was called. He looked up as his older brother James, already safely sitting with his fellow Gryffindors, leered at him. He rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to-

"Bramble, Azaelia!"

It was the girl from the train! Her hair, adorned with a small braid down the side of her head, swung as she confidently walked up to the stool. The hat had barely touched her head when it cried, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The girl Azaelia grinned and ran over to where James was sitting, who gave her a quick high-five.

"Cadwallader, Brandon!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The line grew shorter and shorter as more of Albus' classmates got sorted. Finally, as "Nott, Tobias" was made a Slytherin and "Ockham, Sarah" got put in Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall called out "Potter, Albus."

Albus took a deep breath and slowly put the frayed hat on his head, jumping as a raspy voice whispered in his ear.

"A Potter, eh? Well, all right. Let's see what you've got. Smart…cunning…oh, but what is this? Bravery? Wit? Better be…GRYFFINDOR!" An eruption of shouts filled Albus' ears as he took the hat off of his head. James gave him a thumbs-up as he ambled over to his housemates. Laughing with relief, he sat back to watch Rose be sorted. She smiled as the hat fell over her eyes. It took Rose much longer to be sorted than anyone else. When the Sorting Hat came to a decision, it shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Both Albus and Rose were shocked. Rose gave Albus a sad, disappointed look before joining the Ravenclaws.


	3. Orange Blossoms

Food began to appear in front of the students at every table, materializing out of thin air. Albus was seated next to Azaelia, who seemed just as hungry as him. They both piled their plates high with boiled potatoes, pasta, salad, chicken pot pie and potatoes. A cold glass of pumpkin juice finished off Albus' perfect dinner. He reached over Azaelia for a chocolate éclair and in his haste knocked over his goblet, orange liquid blossoming on the white tablecloth.

"Oops," he muttered, hastily trying to sop it up with his napkin. Azaelia smiled. "Here, I'll help."

She was even more beautiful up close. A wispy strand of hair fell over the side of her face, nearly hiding petite, pointy elfish ears. Her pale heart-shaped freckles across her nose and cheeks somehow brought out her twinkly eyes the color of the sea. Albus had never seen anything more beautiful. He smiled and blushed gratefully as her warm, soft hand knocked into his.

Atop the High Table, Headmaster McGonagall was surveying the Great Hall as she took a bite of pumpkin pasty. Her eyes rested on the Gryffindors. Albus Severus Potter was attempting to clean up a spill and blushed as the pretty girl next to him—Azaelia was her name, she thought—smiled at him. McGonagall smiled as well as she noticed the glint of a crush in his almond-shaped green eyes.

Ah, love.

**Note: Sorry this chapter is so short. I decided it just didn't go in with "The Sorting." I'll try to update this fanfic as much as possible. Anyhow, please review! My first fanfic. I need critique :P**


	4. The Dreams

For the next couple of months, Albus became aware of his crush on Azaelia. She became friendly with him, helping grind up spine of lionfish in Potions, or showing him the proper way to Transfigure a beetle into a button. She even showed him her own Patronus once, an impossible feat for an eleven-year-old. Albus was rather fond of her silvery-blue fox.

He would attempt to follow her around like a new puppy all the time, but sometimes people would notice him—James, for instance.

"Ooooh! Al's got a _girlfriend!"_ he crowed one particularly snowy November night in the Gryffindor common room.

Albus blushed. "I do _not! _Go away!"

James smirked and walked out, whistling.

Sometime later, Azaelia wandered in, wearing a green bathrobe and a nightgown. _Seriously adorable, _Albus thought. Her eyes lit up like they always did when she smiled.

"Hey, Albus. Chocolate frog?" she offered.

"Thanks," he replied, taking it from her outstretched hand as she sat down next to him in a cushiony armchair. It was nearly ten o'clock, and he was getting pretty tired, but hey, he was alone in the common room with his crush. "So, uh…do you have any siblings?" Albus stammered, his mouth crammed with chocolate.

"Yep," Azaelia replied. "A younger sister Hazel."

Albus nodded. "I have a younger sister too—her name's Lily. You know my brother James…He's a git a lot of the time, but…" he shrugged.

Azaelia smiled thoughtfully. "I know what you mean."

They sat in silence for a while, until finally Azaelia yawned and got up. "I'd better get to bed," she told Albus. "See you."

* * *

><p>It was the following night. Albus couldn't sleep. He felt like when he, James and Lily went to the beach with Dad and he got knocked over by a wave: rather dazed, his thoughts muddled. The crackling fire in the common room seemed to be calling his name, so he slipped out of bed and silently slid downstairs, where Azaelia sat with Professor McGonagall in front of the blazing fire, sipping a cup of tea.<p>

"When exactly did you start having these dreams, Miss Bramble?" McGonagall was asking Azaelia.

Azaelia stared at the chipped mug in her hand. "About a month ago," she replied. "My mum...had them too. She said it had to do with...some event in her life when she was about five. With Death Eaters, she said."

McGonagall's face suddenly went rigid. "Death Eaters?"

Azaelia nodded.

Professor McGonagall's face relaxed slightly, but her eyes were stony. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Miss Bramble. I request you take private lessons with me, if you please. An owl will be sent to you upon the lesson date." She got up and strolled out of the common room.

Azaelia turned her head and saw Albus trying (and failing miserably) to conceal his body behind the Gryffindor tapestry. She grinned weakly, but Albus saw her face was very pale and she had purplish shadows under her eyes.

"I've been having strange dreams," she whispered. She sloshed the tea around in the mug, slopping some onto her clean white nightgown. _"Tergeo!" _she mumbled, pointing her wand at the blossoming stain.

"Oh," said Albus. He felt a heat rising up his face that had nothing to do with the fire. _Come on!_ said a little voice in his head that sounded rather like James's. _Make a move!_

He shifted on the squashy couch over to Azaelia and moved his hand closer to hers.


	5. Bitter Wind

The rest of Azaelia's first year came and went, and the only things she looked forward to were seeing Hazel and her dad and taking care of the orphaned dragons. She received numbers of owls and letters from Rose Weasley (with whom she had become quite friendly) and Albus.

Yet, like chocolate melting on a warm August day, summer came and went as well. Going back to Hogwarts was like being bundled up against the cold—comforting to know you were protected, but you would still feel the bitter wind against your teary eyes. And in Azaelia's case, there were many teary eyes, many from Hazel, who would finally be going off to Hogwarts.

"Don't worry," Azaelia reassured Hazel many times on the train. "You'll learn a lot, and make loads of friends."

Hazel sniffed, her dark brown curls bouncing on her shoulder as she turned her giant gray eyes on her older sister. "But…what if I'm all alone? What if I'm in Slytherin? What if—"

"You'll still have me." And with that, Hazel nodded slowly and fell asleep on her sister's shoulder. Azaelia stroked her head, humming.

* * *

><p>The lush green hills and steep mountains were speeding past when Albus saw Azaelia.<p>

"Hi," he whispered, gently opening the compartment door. Azaelia gave him a wobbly smile that made his insides plop into hills of mashed potatoes; quickly, he pushed the piece of Drooble's Gum into his cheek.

"Is that Hazel? She's starting at Hogwarts this year?" he asked.

_I'm such an idiot, _thought Albus. _Of course she's going to Hogwarts._

"Yes," Azaelia replied as she brushed a piece of fluff of her sister's shoulder.

They sat in silence for a minute or two, when Albus finally unstuck the gum from his own gums. "Are you going to try out for Quidditch?" he asked Azaelia.

She nodded. "My dad was Gryffindor Seeker a year or two after yours. Fastest Snitch capture at Hogwarts—one minute, thirteen seconds." She beamed proudly as she pulled out a shiny Firebolt carefully out from under her seat. "This was his."

"Yeah, my dad has a Firebolt too," Albus grinned, thinking of his own Firebolt. "I think I might try out for Chaser."

"Cool."

The castle was soon visible, and Hazel woke up, confused. Albus took his cue to leave.


	6. Pink Polka-Dots

"Bramble, Hazel!"

Professor McGonagall's clear, crisp voice ran through the Great Hall. The Sorting had begun.

Azaelia watched as her sister, who looked positively green, slowly dragged her feet to the rickety wooden stool. She placed the Sorting Hat on her head, crossing her fingers.

_Please be Gryffindor, please be Gryffindor,_ Azaelia silently chanted.

The Sorting Hat's mouth opened. "GRYFFINDOR!" it decided. A roar of cheers came bursting from Azaelia's table. Hazel smiled shyly as her big sister made room for her on the bench, her feet swinging.

"Nice one," Azaelia whispered. Albus caught her eye and hastily winked.

Finally, once "Vane, Bernard" sat with the other Gryffindors and "Whisple-Frost, Skye" was proclaimed a Ravenclaw, they began to eat. Hazel, still looking rather green, hadn't even picked up her fork.

"Are you okay?" Azaelia asked her, her mouth full of chicken.

"I...I..." Hazel stuttered, her chin wiggling.

Azaelia looked into her big, almond-shaped eyes. "What is it?"

A tear slipped down Hazel's face. "I want to go home!" She started crying.

Professor McGonagall caught Azaelia's eye. _Is your sister okay?_ she mouthed.

Azaelia shook her head. _She doesn't like it here, _she mouthed back. She quickly turned her head. Both Azaelia and McGonagall remembered the familiar cry.

Professor McGonagall strode over to the Gryffindor table, where she led a sobbing Hazel and Azaelia into the nearest bathroom.

There was a bit of crying, then whimpering. Finally, the door burst open, Hazel pale and sniffling, Azaelia softly wiping her face with a damp handkerchief.

"Are you alright, Miss Bramble?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hazel nodded, trembling slightly.

McGonagall led the little girl back into the Great Hall, one arm draped around her. Azaelia followed and made her way back to Gryffindor, where she slid back onto the bench. A few Slytherins were whispering and sniggering as they pointed at Azaelia. One of them, Rosemary Flint, pretended to burst into tears.

"Look, I'm Crybaby Lame-ble!" she shouted, waving her fat hand in the air, the other one curled into a fist over her eye. All the Slytherins laughed loudly as other students turned around to see the commotion.

Azaelia stood her ground as she gripped her wand. _Levicorpus!_ she thought, narrowing her eyes.

There was a loud BANG, a bright light, and suddenly Rosemary was hanging in midair, suspended on one ankle. Her robes fell over her head, revealing pink polka-dotted underwear and a see-through, yellow undershirt. The Gryffindors howled with laughter. Even some of the Slytherins couldn't bother to suppress a giggle.

Azaelia, satisfied, tucked her wand back in her pocket and whipped her head towards the High Table. McGonagall was still gone. Professor Flitwick, however, had noticed. He winked at Azaelia and went back into conversation with Professor Sprout. On Sprout's other side, Hagrid was heartily laughing as he gave Azaelia a quick grin.

Albus was staring at Azaelia, a slippery grin on his own face. She caught his eye as he blushed, fiddling with his chocolate éclair.

It was pretty good to be back at Hogwarts.


	7. The Fox and the Dragon

_Charlotte Bramble gazed out over the meadow. She pushed back a dark brown curl off of her round face, tucking it behind her pointy, elfish ear._

_ "_Expecto Patronum!_" a voice shouted._

_Nate Bramble aimed his wand into the air as a silvery dragon shot out of the end of it. Charlotte's sea-green eyes twinkled as her four-year-old daughter, Hazel, let out a tinkling giggle and tried to poke it. Her sister, Azaelia, leapt up and chased it, jumping as it faded away._

_ "I want to see Mum's Exepto Partonum!" said Hazel. "Mum, I want to see!"_

_ Charlotte smiled at the pint-sized witch, oblivious to the fact that her pronunciation was totally wrong. "Okay, but only one time."_

_ She lifted her wand as the air suddenly chilled, freezing her heart in her pounding chest. _

_No. They couldn't be here._

_Not now._

**_No._**

**_No._**

**_No._**

_No...no...no..._

_Someone was screaming..._

_She remembered the moment her own parents were murdered by Death Eaters. More screams filled her ears as her vision was blurred by a girl Hazel's age, running…running…knowing she'd be next…_

_ "Mum?" shrieked Azaelia. "Dad! Mum!"_

_Charlotte jerked out of her memory. Tears, boiling hot, were pouring down her face. She turned her shaking head, her nose filled with the scent of lavender soap and maple syrup._

_ "Nate?" she forced herself to whisper, breathing in his comforting smell._

_ "It's okay," he responded, his voice trembling. "Here, have some chocolate." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Dementors. They went straight for…" His throat seemed to be constricted. "My wand had fallen out of my hand, but Azaelia picked it up and conjured a Patronus."_

_Charlotte turned her head slowly to look at her oldest daughter, whose hand was shaking. A silvery-blue fox was leaping away into the distance._


	8. Two Minutes, Thirty-Seven Seconds

The morning of the first Quidditch match against Hufflepuff was cool and bright. Albus sat down to eggs and toast in his new Quidditch robes next to fellow Chaser (and brother) James, who snarfed down half of a banana at once as he tried to look sexy for the Gryffindor Keeper, Felicia Wood, a very good-looking fifth year.

Someone slid onto the bench next to Albus. He smelled cinnamon.

"Nervous?" asked Azaelia, reaching for the fried potatoes.

"Yeah," replied Albus, trying to rip off a piece of toast. It smelled delicious, but it didn't seem to go past his throat.

"You have to eat, Al," Azaelia said, pushing the eggs toward him. "You need your strength!"

Albus swallowed with difficulty and shoved a forkful of eggs in his mouth.

"Let's go!" called Felicia as she stood up. "We play in twenty minutes!"

"Aaaand…here's Wood! Weasley! Krum! Potter! Potter! Creevey! Bramble!" yelled Sheila Jordan.

The seven Quidditch players flew around the pitch. Markus Krum was getting a lot of attention, as his father was the famous Viktor Krum. Markus, a Beater, had attended Durmstrang for three years and then switched over to Hogwarts.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle as fourteen broomsticks rose into the air.

"They're off!" Sheila shouted into the megaphone. "James Potter takes hold of the Quaffle, passing to brother and teammate Albus Potter — dodge that Bludger, Al! — who swerves past Hufflepuff Beaters Macmillan and Finch-Fletchley—GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

A loud roar of applause could be heard from most of the Quidditch pitch. Albus caught Azaelia's eye. She laughed and gave him a thumbs-up.

Two minutes later, Hufflepuff Seeker Cornelia Collins was stomping away from the pitch angrily as Azaelia pumped her fist in the air, clutching the Golden Snitch. Sheila was still roaring into the megaphone.

"Such great potential for the new Gryffindor Seeker Azaelia Bramble, with a Snitch capture of just over two minutes, thirty-seven seconds! A great way for Gryffindor to start off their Quidditch season."

Azaelia grinned to herself, strutting back to the locker rooms. A clammy hand clapped her on the back.

"Er…great job, Azaelia." It was a red-faced Albus, who smiled quickly, then sped off.

_How long will it take him to realize that I like him too?_


End file.
